Weighting machine



r'eb. 2l 1928. 1,660,038

D. E. HARDING WEIGHTING MACHINE Filed may 21 1927 Patented Feb. 21,1928.

i DANA E. HARDING, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO'HARDING-WALCOTT PATENT OFFICE.

COMPANY, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF. MASSACHU-`.ippntmnm med may 21,

My presentinvention relates to an improved weighting machine.

In my copending application, Serial No.y

732,070 filed Aug. 14:, 1924i, I have described and claimed an improvedform of weighting or grading machiney for determining the relativeweight or grade of leather. In such machine, the strip or v.sheet ofleather or other material is fed by means of suitable devices under ,apluralityof parallelly arranged and independently rotatable and movablewheels or discs, which wheels or discs are connected through aV systemof levers to an indicating device. By means of the system of levers, theaverage weight or thickness of the hide or skin on that portion of th-esheet material engaged bythe measuring wheels or discs is measured, andsuch measurement is visually indicated on anappropriate indicatingdevice. Where the sheet material, such asleather, has a glazed surface,no diliculty is experienced with the machine, either with regard to theaccuracy of the measurements obtained thereby or with the quality of theproduct operated. When, however, an unglazed sheet of leather or othermaterial, such as buckskin or suede, is passed through the machine forthe purpose of measuring, it is found that the measuring wheels ordiscs, even though relatively light, show a tendency to compress theleather or other sheet material and there is, in many instances, Welldefinedl lines along the length of the leather or other material due tothe compressing` eEect of the measuring wheels. This is objectionableand has, on extremely high-grade leather, for example, precluded the useof this machine.

In order to overcome this difculty, I have devised the subjectmatter ofthe present invention, and in carrying out my invention I associate withthe measuring machine and in combination with the measuring rolls, arotating brush or brushes which act on the surface of the leather orother sheet material and erase or obliterate the visible effects of themeasuring wheels.l

The object of my invention, therefore, yis

' an improved weighting machine.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment ofmy invention,

Fig. 1 is `a longitudinal section, and

.face of such platform.

wnIGH'rrNG MACHINE.

1927. Serial N0. 193,298.

Fig. 2 is a plan'view on t-he line 2-2 of Fig. 1.4 f

yReferring to the drawings, 10 designates abaseon lwhich is mounted atthe top end a platform '11...` Rotatably mounted in the base is a shaft12 on which are mounted at one end fast vand loose pulleys 13 and 1-1respectively. On the shaft 12 is afeed roll 15 which extends upwardlythrough a transverse slot. 16 in the platform-11 to a point slightlyabove the upper surface of said top. Also, rotatably mounted in the base10 and lying parallel to the shaft 12,'is a second shaft 17 on which issecured a roll 18, this roll 18 also extending upward through atransverse' slot 19in the platform 11 to a point slightly above theupperfsur- Secured i to the shafts 12 and 17 and in alignment with eachchain 22 and by means of which power is transmitted from vthe shaft'12to the shaft 17, suchshafts rotating in the direction of the arrow shownin Fig. 1. Mountedabove the platform 11 on suitable upward extensions ofthe base' 10 is a cross bar 23, on the front end of which is secureddownwardly extending brackets 24. These brackets at their lower end havesecured a shaft 25, on which is rotatably mounted bell crank levers 26,having rotatably mounted thereon a feed roll 27 co-operating with thefeed roll 15. Secured also to theV bell crank levers 26'is an operatingarm 28 associated with the operating mechanism of the indicatingdevice.l On the side of the bar 23 opposite vthe brackets 24;r issecured a plurality of brackets 29, to each of which brackets is piv.otally mounted one end of a rectangular framework 30, and in each of theframeworks 3-0 is rotatably mounted a measuring wheel 31, whichmeasuring wheels 31 cooperate with the roll 18. The other end of theserectangular frames 3()l are connected through ysuitable mechanisms,though not essential to the present invention, with the indicatingmechanism of the machine. If a sheet of leather or other flexiblematerial 32 is fed by the feed rolls 15 and 27 through the machine andvinto engagement with the roll 18 and the measuring wheels 15, theaverage thickness ofthe leather or other -other are sprockets '20 and 21respectively, `and over theser sprockets runs a sprocket or -uniinishedsurface leather, Vandv sii-cli markings tend to lower the quality ot theleather'li'rom a selling vpoint of View;

In order to overcome the objection last abovevno'ted, I have mountedbeneath the platform 11, in bearings in the base 10 and at the rear ot'the measuringwheels 31, a

shaft which'cairies a' roll 36 that'extends tl'irough a transverse slot37 in theplatiforin 11"and 'to a point? lslightly above thev uppersurface oit the platlform. Also, 1 have rotatablyfmounted'in suitablebearings in the upward extensions of the base 10 a shaft 38 pr 'allel tothe shatt 35, and both said shafts :parallel to the sha'tt 17 and 12 andon' the shaft '38 lfmountak brush roll 39; The `shaft 38 and, therefore,the brush roll 89 is driven in the samefdirection asfth'e.Y

measuringwheels 31 but Vat agreater surface speed than such measuringwheels 31 by means of a'train of gearing l0 extending between the shaft17 and lshatt 38, Suitable -means is provided for Varyingthe tensionbetween the surface of the brush roll 39 and the roll 36 and, therefore,the brushing effect ot the brush roll') onY the surface'o'f the leather32 may be rmade anything desired within reasonable limits. when a sheetofrleatherg 4is vted through the machine and between the measuringwheels 31 and the roll 18, the marks lett by the measuring wheels 31 arebrushed out or obliterated bythe brushing eiect of the brush rollv 39'.'By these means, allobjections to the use of theineasurin'g or weightingmachine onv all classes ot leather is obvi'at'ed. v

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim as new is :V n

1n a weighting or grading machine for leather and the like, lthecombination lof a feed roll, measu ing wheels associated therewith,ine'ans Vfor driving thc-:feeding rollA at a predetermined Speed,l 'abrushing' roll tor brushing out of the leather the marks impressedtherein by the ineasuringwheels in the 'passage o'l the leather throughthe ina-` chine, and means connectedto the `'feeding rolldriymgmeans fordriying saidl brushlng V roll 1n the same direction Vas ,before atgreater speed than tlies'peed of the feeding roll.

-In testimony whereof, liaye name to this speeilication.

DANA Hamme.

Accordingly,

